Leading ladies dominate this year’s supporting actress Oscar race

While the majority of this year’s Oscar races seem to be wide open, the supporting actress race is actually a little more compact with essentially it being a two horse race. Will voters go for the rising star or decide to support the established veteran? Or will a dark horse enter the field? Next week will set the stage.

Over the course of the next few days, the Broadcast Film Critics and Hollywood Foreign Press Association will weigh in with their choices for the best of 2012. However in a new twist, Thursday will also bring moviegoers the nominations for the 85th annual Academy Awards, meaning it’s a big week for Hollywood. In preparation, a number of top experts and award sites have started weighing in today with their picks and so far the results have been right in line with current predictions, which don't seem likely to change since yesterday marked the end of the nomination voting period.

According to a new aggregate poll out by the experts over at Gold Derby.com, “Lincoln” star Sally Field is poised to become a major threat in a race that just a month ago seemed all but over. Derby’s experts from across the world of film all believe that as the wife of our 16th President in Steven Spielberg’s bio-pic, Field admirably holds her own against a talented ensemble headlined by Daniel Day-Lewis.

Award voters may be predictable but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to throw a curve ball of two into the mix when you least expect it. After picking up a number of supporting actress honors over the last few weeks, Field has positioned herself ahead of heavy favorite Anne Hathaway down the stretch run.

For Hathaway, a Oscar nomination here would mark her second overall nod and first in the supporting category. As the fading streetwalker Fantine in “Les Miserables,” Hathaway literally starved herself to get into character and that type of transformation is like catnip to voters. Paired with her crowed pleasing and show stopping performance of the iconic song “I Dreamed A Dream,” it could end up being a dangerous combination of skill and precision that could net the charming actress her first Oscar win.

Last year the closest Oscar category was the Best Actress race between “The Help’s” Viola Davis and “The Iron Lady’s” Meryl Streep which has many similarities. While Davis entered as the favorite and took home the Golden Globe as we got closer to Oscar night, voters eventually went with Streep. Could history repeat itself?

Of course while Field and Hathaway are the expected frontrunners, three other talented actress will round out the category. Interestingly enough this year, all of the top contenders have at one point been a force in the lead category as well but this year proved they could be just as much of a presence in a smaller role. This includes a pair of former winners in Helen Hunt and Dame Maggie Smith.

Hunt, who won for going toe-to-toe with Jack Nicholson in “As Good As It Gets,” once again has excited critics with her revealing turn in the sexually charged “The Sessions,” while the always dangerous Smith is a dark horse to sneak in for her role in the critically acclaimed “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” Don’t under-estimate either!

Oscar darling Amy Adams is also considered a solid selection for her role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master.” While the film about a charismatic cult leader has wavered up and down in the last few months, its cast has held firm and Best Picture nominations from the writer’s guild yesterday and the producer’s guild earlier in the week have really bolstered the film’s chances across the board. A former nominee, Adams could very well once again hear her name called.

It also wouldn’t be a shock to see “Animal Kingdom’s” Jacki Weaver repeat as a nominee for “Silver Linings Playbook.” Opposite Robert DeNiro, Weaver has again gotten on voter’s radar and like all four core members of “Lining’s” cast, could be a strong contender.

Voters may also choose to reward two of Hollywood’s most stunning young actresses as well with Amanda Seyfried winning acclaim for her role in “Les Misrerables,” while Scarlet Johansson could break through for role as Vivian Leigh in “Hitchcock.”

So what’s your take New York? Which supporting stars do you think could get nominated? Hit the comments and let us know. Remember, don’t forget to subscribe to this column for all of the latest news about the 2013 award season.

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2013 Award Season Coverage

Winners

New York Film Critics Circle
National Board of Review
Boston Society of Film Critics
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
American Film Institute

Nominees

Broadcast Film Critics
Golden Globes
Screen Actor Guild
Producers Guild
Writers Guild

Previews

Golden Globe Preview - Drama
Golden Globes Preview- Comedy/Musical
Oscar Nominations Preview – Supporting Actress
Oscar Nominations Preview – Supporting Actor